Description & Remarks

A semi-shrub, abounds in disturbed habitats. Disturbence may be natural or human-induced. In steep slopes, or those regarded as escarpments, there is a high rate geomorphological activity. Erosion and landslides cause fast renewal of soil-surface material. In temporary water ways (wadis)such events are rather common. Being adapted to disturbed ground in extreme desert environments, the plant may be regarded as pre-adapted to soil disturbence habitats created by human activity. Hence, it is one of the first colonizers of newly constucted roads.
The succulent stems of this plant looks as if constructed from the basal parts of the leaf pairs. Two of the four longitudinal lines seen on young stems are the back vein of the leaves; the other two are grooves formed at the meeting points of leaf lips. The photos of the young stems display the common evolutionary theory of the way of succulent stem formation. Common genera with such stems are Anabasis, Haloxylon, Arthrocnemum, Salicornia, and Sarcocornia.
A. setifera is active mainly in summer and autumn when it flowers, makes fruits and disperses them. The dispersal unit contains a seed, fruit coat, tepals, and 5 wings developing from the tepals back and assisting wind-dispersal.
Minute insects penetrating into the young stems excrete white and sweet foamy liquid which is named by the Bedouin “mann” or “manna”.

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